The Challenges of Cloud Migration
Remote working is the biggest revolution within the global economy for this generation. One of the knock-on effects is the rapid advancement of cloud migration. Transitioning from on-premise storage to the cloud enhances agility, operations, and profitability.
According to one study, 60% of companies agreed that cloud capabilities enabled them to achieve increased revenue. However, migrating to the cloud can present tremendous challenges. In this guide, we will discuss the primary challenges of your migration and how to overcome them.
Why are companies moving to the cloud?
The cloud is widely viewed as the gold standard for today’s businesses. One study found that in 2022, 60% of all corporate data was stored within the cloud. But the cloud isn’t exclusively about data storage. It’s also about applications and infrastructure.
Many blame the COVID-19 pandemic for mass cloud migrations, but companies have already embraced the cloud en masse. The rise of remote working resulting from the pandemic merely accelerated the transition.
So, why are companies switching?
Easy Availability – A Cloud Service Provider (CSP) possesses infrastructures with superior resiliency and redundancy than most organisations can build and manage in-house. This guarantees better availability of critical applications and data.
Flexibility – Cloud ecosystems can be designed and deployed in any way a company needs. They can also be altered and tweaked as their needs evolve.
Scalability – The cloud grows with businesses, enabling decision-makers to expand or shrink their resources based on organisational trajectories. This empowers companies to adapt to whatever is happening at the time without significant disruption.
Affordability – Migrating to the cloud can slash IT infrastructure by up to 40% – and sometimes more. Additionally, organisations benefit from economies of scale that wouldn’t be available with an in-house infrastructure by working with a CSP.
Making Management Simple—Cloud migrations are also about outsourcing the intricacies of IT infrastructure to an expert. By outsourcing this responsibility, companies can redirect their resources elsewhere.
In short, the cloud is the way forward. But making this a reality also comes with substantial challenges.
What are the main challenges of cloud migration?
Cloud migrations can be complicated, especially for larger companies. The whole process can be daunting, so knowing the most common cloud migration challenges (and the main reasons for failure) can help you avoid the same pitfalls.
Defining your strategy
Businesses moving to the cloud must develop a strategy to design and plan the cloud infrastructure that suits them.
For example, public, private and hybrid cloud solutions have advantages and disadvantages. Likewise, different providers and distribution models also determine whether businesses maximise the benefits of their migration.
Mapping out the migration from start to finish requires collaboration with all departments to ensure that every need is covered.
Unpicking existing architecture
The premise of cloud migrations is moving applications and data from in-house to the cloud. Usually, this happens in stages to prevent critical problems and downtime.
Smaller businesses may find this relatively simple, but the same cannot be said for organisations with complex IT architectures. With so many interdependencies, determining a strategy that prevents downtime, data loss and errors can be a huge headache.
Achieving a rapid migration
Cloud migrations aren’t a matter of pressing “Upload” and waiting for things to happen. Migrations often require a phased approach, with constant testing and validation to check everything works as intended.
No strategy or improper processes increase costs and act as a drain on businesses. Remember, cloud migrations can take months. Meanwhile, your business must continue to function.
High costs
Big cost savings are a primary motivator for initiating cloud migrations, but cloud services can also be expensive. If businesses don’t have proper visibility of their IT architecture, they may find their costs spiralling out of control.
Conversely, delays and unexpected problems can continue to erode the cost savings of switching to the cloud.
Compliance risks
Moving to the cloud also evokes concerns over data security and compliance risks. However, your responsibilities don’t change because data moves to the cloud. The requirements are the same as those for securing data in-house.
Businesses must understand the security implications of their cloud migrations, or they could face the consequences of data leakage and loss.
The main reasons for cloud migration failure
It’s no mystery that a substantial portion of businesses experience failure when attempting cloud migrations. Yet many of these problems can be avoided with proper planning.
Before discussing the number one way companies can guarantee a smooth transition, here are the main reasons cloud migrations go wrong:
No Planning – A staggering number of decision-makers embark upon cloud migrations with no real plan. Unsurprisingly, they’re shocked when things go wrong and left picking up the pieces.
No Phasing – Attempting to migrate everything simultaneously is another recipe for disaster. Bugs, glitches and errors aren’t uncommon, but with a phased approach, teams can detect problems early and minimise their impact.
Wrong Approach – Multiple pathways can achieve the same result. Different migration techniques are available, including refactoring, re-platforming, app modernisation and the lift-and-shift approach. Businesses must evaluate how each one works and decide what’s best for them.
Going All-In – In a similar vein to trying to migrate everything at once, some applications may not be suitable candidates. The all-or-nothing approach usually raises more issues than it solves, so companies must think carefully about what they will migrate and keep in-house.
Skipping Testing—Testing is the cornerstone of successful cloud migrations. It acts as a risk assessment, allowing teams to pinpoint pitfalls. Plus, comprehensive testing enables you to avoid irreversible mistakes.
Overlooking the Human Side – Cloud migration changes how businesses operate. But the magic of the cloud only happens when people know what they’re doing. Users must be trained in how to use it. Without that, it’s impossible to integrate the cloud correctly.
All these leading causes of cloud migration failure stem from not accounting for all the moving parts involved in switching to the cloud. Taking the extra time to strategise can eliminate most problems before they arise, which will benefit you in the long run.
How can you avoid the challenges of cloud migration?
Avoiding cloud migration challenges begins with acquiring the knowledge and expertise needed to plan your route. But let’s be honest: Most of us lack the technical knowledge.
Instead of fumbling around in the dark, work with an accredited cloud migration expert like Matrix247. Let us handle your migration challenges while you get on with the job of managing your business.
Working with an expert is an investment that will save you money in the long term and give you peace of mind because your migration is built around you. To learn more about making your migration happen, contact us now.
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